Apparatus for mixing slivers

ABSTRACT

A METHOD OF AND MIXING FRAME FOR MIXING SILVERS WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE A REDUCTION IN THE SILVER WEIGHT PER METER WITH SILVERS WHICH REQUIRE A REDUCTION IN THE SILVER WEIGHT PER METER, ACCORDING TO WHICH THE SILVERS NOT REQUIRING A REDUCTION IN THE SILVER WEIGHT PER METER ARE FED DIRECTLY INTO THE MIXING FAME WHILE THE SILVERS REQUIRING A REDUCTION IN THE SILVER WEIGHT PER METER ARE ADJACENT THE MIXING FRAME PREDRAFTED AND AT THE END OF THE PREDRAFTING OPERATION ARE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION DIRECTLY FED TO ENTERING ROLLERS WHICH FEED THE THUS PREDRAFTED SILVERS INTO THE MIXING FRAME INTO WHICH THE OTHER SILVERS NOT REQUIRING A REDUCTION IN THE SILVER WEIGHT PER METER ARE BEING FED.

Feb. 16, 1971 J. KAISER APPARATUS FOR MIXING SLIVERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2, 1968 FIG. 2

I/YVFIYTOR YQfQn 7 1S r Feb. 16, 1971 J. KAISER 3,562,867

APPARATUS FOR MIXING SLIVERS Filed Aug. 2, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IEW/0R United States Patent 3,562,867 APPARATUS FOR MIXING SLIVERS Johann Kaiser, Waldshut, Germany, assignor to Chr. Mann Maschineufabrik, Waldshut, Germany Filed Aug. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 749,748 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 8, 1967, P 16 85 572.4 Int. Cl. D01h US. Cl. 19-243 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of and mixing frame for mixing slivers which do not require a reduction in the sliver weight per meter with slivers which require a reduction in the sliver weight per meter, according to which the slivers not requiring a reduction in the sliver weight per meter are fed directly into the mixing frame while the slivers requiring a reduction in the sliver weight per meter are adjacent the mixing frame predrafted and at the end of the predrafting operation are without interruption directly fed to entering rollers which feed the thus predrafted slivers into the mixing frame into which the other slivers not requiring a reduction in the sliver weight per meter are being fed.

The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for mixing slivers. Mixed slivers composed of a plurality of individual slivers of different color and/or fiber type are produced on mixing frames. In order to obtain a good intermixing of the individual slivers in the mixed sliver to be produced, it is desired to produce the mixed sliver from a large number of individual slivers. In order to obtain a high doubling number, heretofore multihead so-called mixing gill boxes were employed in which the slivers being delivered by the individual heads were combined, then reduced in an additional drawing head and finally deposited in a discharge can. However, on these mixing frames, without using additional devices, only mixed slivers composed of slivers of the same weight per meter could be produced. If a mixed color is desired, for instance, in which individual classes or types must have a weight per meter which exceeds or is less than the standard weight per meter, in most instances 20 grams per meter, pre-passages ahead of the mixing frame are necessary for reducing the weight per meter of the individual slivers, said pre-passages stretching the prefabricated sliver to the desired weight per meter. The individual prepassages for reducing the weight per meter require a large machine installation, a greater number of operators and thus result in a considerable additional increase in the costs.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to produce a method of and apparatus for mixing slivers of different colors and/or qualities on a mixing frame, in which the costs, especially for labor, will be greatly reduced.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus as set forth in the preceding paragraph, according to which the required slivers will have their weight per meter reduced to the desired extent.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a top view of a mixing frame as used in connection with the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a drafting device on a larger scale than that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section through the drafting device of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates on an enlarged scale a portion of the mixing frame according to FIG. 1 with entering rollers arranged transverse to the mixing frame.

The method according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that at least a portion of the incoming slivers is prior to passing over the drafting field proper, but during the same working operation, predrafted for the required sliver weight (grams per meter) necessary for the desired mixture.

According to the method of the present invention, the slivers which do not require a reduction in the sliver weight are as heretofore customary passed from the spinning cans to the head of the drawing frame, whereas the slivers which require a reduction in the weight per meter are predrafted ahead of the drafting field proper. In this way, pre-passages which according to the prior art are employed ahead of the mixing frame proper, will become superfluous.

A mixing frame for carrying out the method according to the invention may be characterized in that at least one portion of the entering rollers which withdraw the slivers is directly preceded by a predrafting device.

For purposes of simplifying the drive for driving the individual feed rollers and for purposes of simplifying the drive for the predrafting operation, it is suggested in conformity with the present invention to arrange along the mixing frame at least one drive shaft by means of which in addition to the entering rollers also the drafting mechanism can be driven.

According to a further development of the invention, the drive shafts which drive the driving rollers and the predrafting drive may be arranged parallel or tranverse to the entering-in direction.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the mixing frame according to FIG. 1 comprises primarily the drafting frame head 1 arranged at one end of the drawing frame. The mixing frame furthermore comprises a sliver depositing device 2 which, when looking in the sliver feeding direction, is located behind the drawing frame head 1. Finally, the mixing frame also comprises a feed table 3 arranged ahead of the drafting frame head 1. At both longitudinal sides of said table 3 there are arranged a plurality of spinning cans 4. As drafting frame head 1 there may be employed various heretofore known designs. Thus, a double gill box may be employed, or a hackling field or a suitable apron or a roller drafting mechanism.

By means of the feed rollers 7 which are connected to the feed shaft 6 along the feed table 3, the slivers are withdrawn from the spinning cans 4 as far as the slivers do not have to be reduced as to their weight per meter. The slivers 10 are thus lifted directly by the feed rollers 7 out of the spinning cans 4 and are via deviating pins 12 conveyed to the drafting field of the drafting head 1. The slivers 10, however, which in order to obtain the desired fiber mixture will have to be reduced as to their weight per meter are, prior to reaching the feed roller 7 predrawn in predrafting devices shown in FIG. 2, in other words are reduced in weight per meter.

Each predrafting device comprises the predrafting transmission 8. The predrafting device furthermore comprises a roller 9 driven by the transmission 8 at variable speeds, and the fiber guiding rollers )11 likewise driven by said transmission. The predrafting device according to FIG. 2 has for each two slivers to be drafted one feed roller 7' only, said roller 7 being driven directly by the feed shaft 6 at constant speed. The drafting or entering roller 9 rotates at a lower speed depending on the desired predrafting so that between the feed roller 7 and the drafting roller 9 there will be obtained the desired predraft.

The predrafting transmission 8 may be designed as a gear transmission. Preferably, however, an infinitely variable control transmission with precisely adjustable scales is employed so that in a simple manner the draft of each predrafting transmission can be adjusted and controlled by means of a scale.

The predrafting device according to FIG. 2 may also be replaced by another drawing frame. Also in this instance, a pure roller drafting mechanism may be employed, but also a simple or double apron drafting mechanism may be used. The fiber guiding roller 11 may, in conformity with FIG. 3, be designed as orcupine roller or also as a fine hackling field.

The load of the feed roller 7' and the drafting roller 9 for a slip-free movement of the sliver to be reduced is in conformity with FIG. 3 effected by means of a loading saddle 13 the rollers 14 and 15 of which press against the rollers 7' and 9.

The arrangement of the feed rollers 7, 7' may, depending on the design of the feed table, be selected according to FIG. 1 in the longitudinal feeding direction or may, according to FIG. 4, be selected in a direction transverse to the feeding direction.

The individual predrafting transmissions may also be designed as control transmissions so that they will have not only the function of weight reducing but also of controlling the individual sliver. This last mentioned function is of particular importance when the slivers come directly from the dyer and due to the dyeing and drying processes have relatively great variations in the weight of the sliver.

In order more clearly to bring out the great saving in work and reduction in machinery when employing the method according to the present invention, the invention will now be explained in connection with a specific example which, however, is not to be considered a limitation of the present invention. It may be assumed that a mixed sliver of five different colors A to E is to be produced. The weight of the individual slivers of the five different colors is assumed to amount to 20 grams per meter, while the weight per meter of the entire sliver of the mixing frame is intended to amount to- 200 grams per meter. For the color intermixing there are required of:

. Sliver 1X5 g./m.

. Sliver 1X16. 8 g./n1.

. Sliver 2X17. 5 g./m.

. Sliver 2X20+1X18. 4 g./rn. Sliver 3X20+2X12A g./m.

Total 100. %=200. OgJm.

Therefore, according to this example, 12 slivers are being fed to the mixing frame and, more specifically, five slivers are withdrawn without drafting from the feed rollers with 20 g./m. (grams per meter), and the remaining seven slivers must be reduced in weight. Of the color A, according to this example, a sliver is necessary with a weight of g./m. of the color B a sliver is necessary with the Weight of 16.8 g./m., of the color C two slivers each having a Weight of 17.5 g./m. are necessary, of the color D a sliver with the weight of 18.4 g./m. is necessary, and finally of the color E two slivers each with a weight of 12.4 g./m. are required.

The different weight per meter had heretofore prior to the mixing process proper to be prefabricated in five prepassages to which end a frame was necessary and had to be deposited in a spinning can. Only after all necessary silver weights were available in spinning cans, the mixing operation proper can start on the mixing frame. The preparation of a mixing sliver is considerably simplified with the mixing frame according to the-present invention because the stretching or drafting of slivers in pre-passages is no longer required. The individual slivers are thus, if necessary, predrafted only shortly ahead of the unification in the mixing frame and are subsequently immediately conveyed to the drafting head. This combined drafting operation makes all pre-passages superfluous and thus brings about a considerable saving in personnel and machines. The saving of working operations also brings about a considerable improvement of the sliver waste during the mixing operation.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular construction shown in the drawings, but also comprises various modifications, the scope of the invention being determined by the disclosure.

What I claim is:

1. A mixing frame for producing a mixed sliver from a plurality of individual slivers, comprising a drafting frame head for receiving and combining a plurality of individual spaced parallel slivers, a drawing frame including a feed table having a plurality of individual guide means, each guiding an individual sliver to said drafting frame, and feed roller means mounted on said feed table having a uniform speed for feeding said spaced, parallel individual slivers to said drafting frame at a uniform speed, and predrafting means for each of certain of said individual slivers preceding said feed roller means, each said predrafting means comprising entering rollers engaging one of said slivers, so that said predrafting means restricts the movement of each said sliver to said feed roller means to reduce the weight per meter of said s iver, and variable transmission means, each driving one of each entering rollers and controlling the operation of each predrafting means and the individual weight reduction of each sliver.

2. A mixing frame according to claim 1, in which the feed roller means are driven by two shafts extending longitudinally on opposite sides of said feed table, and said variable transmissions are driven by said shafts.

12/1958 France 19-150 5/ 1955 France 19-282 5/1931 Italy 19-157 DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

